Photo Features
View from the wheel
Photo and text by Chriz Chan, Mandy Chi, Toni Ip and Hilda Wong
Next to the quiet Central Barracks of the Chinese People's Liberation Army garrison, resplendent and dazzling amusement rides spin and swing with shrieks of fun and excitement rattling at the waterfront in the Tamar site, Admiralty.
Thrill seekers and game lovers come with their families, friends or lovers to let themselves go in the outdoor AIA Hong Kong World Carnival, which is billed as the global largest travelling fair.
"I can see the view of the carnival and the harbour at the top of the wheel. It's nice," said Natalie Yuen Ming-wai, who had her ride in the Giant Wheel with her boyfriend.
The fully air-conditioned touring wheel, which is claimed to be the biggest in Asia, is the spotlight at the funfair.
Staging over the Christmas-Lunar New Year period until arch 25, the 101-day fair features up to 70 rides and games, with live performances by disc jockeys. Many visitors see the carnival as a soothing buffer for them to break from routine or a busy life.
This carnival would be the last festival event being held at Tamar before the former British naval base is to be converted into local government headquarters.
Visitors, by paying packaged tickets pricing up to HK$225 each, can enjoy unlimited rides, including that of the big wheel and G-Force. They are also being given tokens to play at the game stalls, each worth HK$5, said Grace Au Shui-lin, the carnival's chief marketing and public relations consultant.
G-Force, a machine that shoots riders 50 metres up into the air and then plunges them in a free fall, attracts most youngsters. Excitement seeker Ng Lik-kwan said that was his favourite ride as he could experience the thrill of free fall and inverted flight.
However, a form-two girl, Wan Cheuk-Ling, said she preferred the swing on the Giant Slide. "The others are too frightening to me," she said. "I won't try the G-Force."
To cater for families and those faint-hearted, the fair also provides varieties of milder rides such as the Wild Mouse. Mark Spillans from Australia, who visited the fair with his three boys, said Pirate River was exciting and his children loved it.
Besides the rides, games are also the attraction of the fair. Many visitors eye the prizes. ¡§I have come here twice because I want to win the big white bear,¡¨ said Cheung King-ting.
